Gary Lineker is one of the most iconic Leicester City players of all time, having graduated from the academy.
The former Foxes and England centre-forward made over a century of appearances for his boyhood club and is firmly established in City folklore.
Lineker appeared at four major tournaments with The Three Lions and is their fourth-highest-scorer of all time.
Since retiring, the legendary City striker has become a globally recognised face in the television industy and is well known for presenting BBC’s Match of the Day programme.
With that said, here is everything you need to know about Gary Lineker and his career and life outside of football, including answers to all of your frequently asked questions.
Gary Lineker personal profile
- Full name: Gary Winston Linkeker OBE
- Age: 63 (30 November 1960)
- Birthplace: Leicester, England
- Height: 5′ 9″ (1.77m)
- Position: Centre-forward
- Number: 10 (Predominantly)
Gary Lineker stats
Gary Lineker played for five clubs throughout his career before retiring in 1994. He enjoyed spells at Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Nagoya Grampus, netting a total of goals, as per Transfermarkt.
At international level, Lineker was just as prolific, scoring 48 goals across 80 appearances for England. He took home the Golden Boot award at the 1986 World Cup.
Gary Lineker Twitter
You can find Lineker’s X (formerly Twitter) account under the handle @GaryLineker, or alternatively, on Instagram under the same username.
The presenter often shares his football opinions on X, whilst, on Instagram, he enjoys posting cooking content via stories.
What is Gary Lineker’s net worth?
The former footballer-turned-television presenter is thought to have a net worth of £30m, as per The Mirror.
Lineker’s advertising campaigns with Walkers Crips would’ve certainly contributed to his substantial wealth as would his BBC contract, which sees him earn in excess of £1.3m-per-year, making him the broadcaster’s highest earner.
What happened with Gary Lineker and Dan Walker?
In March 2023, Lineker was pulled off air by the BBC following tweets about migrants. Dan Walker, who was presenting live on Channel 5, texted the former footballer and asked for further details on what exactly had happened.
“And I’ve asked Gary Lineker the question about whether he is stepping back or whether the BBC has asked him to step back,” Walker said.
“And I’ve told him that if he responds to me that I will read out that text on air.
“There’s one word in there I can’t use. But he has said ‘no, they told me I have to step back’.
“Gary Lineker wants to continue to present Match of the Day and he’s not apologising for what he said.
“But he says it’s a BBC decision to force him to not present the programme at the moment.”
Lineker ended up resolving the matter and he returned to his Match of the Day commitments later that month.
What happened with Gary Lineker and James O’Brien?
Following Lineker’s row with the BBC, radio presenter James O’Brien took to X to give his views on the controversial situation. His post gained a lot of attention.
Who is Gary Lineker’s brother?
Gary has a younger brother called Wayne, who is the owner of the popular O Beach resort in Ibiza. The pair have a strained relationship and Wayne admitted that they don’t talk very often.
“It’s not so good to be honest, we don’t really speak very often. I’ll always be his number one fan,” he said in March 2024.
He did, however, note that he has a good relationship with his nephews: “We’re so close. We’ve got a really strong relationship with George, Harry, Angus and Tobias. They call me Space Wayne – we had a big night out and I ended up being carried out.”
Who is Gary Lineker’s wife?
Lineker has been in two marriages. He married Michelle Cockayne during his playing days and they had four children together but later separated.
He remarried in 2009 to Danielle Bux, though, the relationship ended in 2016. They have remained friends since.
Lineker isn’t thought to be in a romance and speaking to The Times in 2023, he said: “I like being on my own. I know it sounds a bit mad.”
Who are Gary Lineker’s children?
Lineker has four sons, George, 32, Harry, 30, Tobias, 28 and Angus, 26. Interestingly, none have followed in the footsteps of their father as a professional footballer.
Though, he enjoys spending time with them watching Leicester City.